Starting Anew
by LooseLeafScratchSheet
Summary: Short one shot on Flint's thoughts following the events of the second movie. MAJOR spoilers. Rated "T" for mentions of attempted murder.


In an instant, Flint Lockwood had everything he had ever wanted. His hero had given him recognition and praise and had even offered him a job doing what he loves most. On top of that he had friends, some of which he could still hardly believe himself, and at long last he had finally gained his father's approval. Deep down he knew that his father cared for him but actually hearing him say that he loved him meant more to Flint than he could ever put into words.

And of course, there was Sam. She was the first person to accept him for who he was since his mother died. She more than accepted him, in fact. She was sincerely enthralled with his inventions and acted as though they were the most incredible things she had ever seen. He couldn't even begin to explain how amazing that felt. Sam was his breath of fresh air, his ray of sunshine in a backdrop that was dreary in more ways than one. She was clever, beautiful, compassionate and everything he never though he'd be deserving of but somehow they had ended up together.

Everything had seemed picture perfect even after the mortifying episode at the vesting ceremony, which he wasn't sure if he'd ever completely live down, and the development involving the supposedly dangerous living food. No, things didn't truly start to go down hill until Chester had met with him and his friends on Swallow Falls to "assist" with locating the FLDSMDFR.

Looking back now, he couldn't begin to fathom how he had been so clueless. He followed Chester blindly in hopes of proving himself and making right what he had felt was all his fault. He had failed in so many areas that he thought if he could just do this one thing right that it would validate him somehow and prove that he wasn't just a screw-up and a public menace. He needed to prove it to Chester, to his friends, to Sam, and most importantly, to himself.

Maybe if he hadn't been so utterly fixated on this goal he would have seen that he was only working his way further from it. He was pushing away the only people who really cared about him and already believed he was a great inventor. His friends had more faith in him than he could ever have in himself and it was as if he had completely forgotten that.

By the time he discovered Sam had been right all along it was nearly too late. Chester stole his machine and intended on destroying all the foodimals and making them into food bars. He had even gone as far as to make an attempt on his life and threatened to kill Sam and his friends as well, even after he disarmed himself.

Fortunately, Chester essentially sealed his own fate and they had made it through. The foodimals and all of his loved one's were safe and it seemed as though Sam had forgiven him for his supreme lack in judgment. Plans were being made to begin construction on Sparkswood and everything seemed to be perfect again. But he couldn't help be feel apprehensive about the future.

Finding out the truth about Chester had affected him deeper than anyone had realized. He had idolized the man nearly his entire life and sought to emulate him any way he could. He believed he was a perfect mold for everything he wanted to become and had truly wanted to be him. But now that he had seen Chester's true self beneath his immaculate façade Flint began to question everything he had striven for all of those years.

He no longer had the luxury of building himself up to a pre-made mold for what he was meant to become. There was no guideline, no source of reference. His own mental perception of his future self was now an intimidating blank. He would have to create his own standards to live by and, in a sense, be his own hero.

He wouldn't have to do it alone though. He had his friends and family supporting him and if all else failed he would always have Sam there to set him straight. After everything that happened he scarcely believed he'd ever doubt her judgment again and he would certainly never take her or any of loved ones for granted ever again.


End file.
